In 1828 Charles Chalmers started a small school in Park Place, Edinburgh, Scotland on a site now occupied by the McEwan Hall. In May 1833, Charles Chalmers took a lease of Merchiston Castle (the former home of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms) — which at that time stood in rural surroundings — and moved the school. It is from here that the school name is derived.[9]
Merchiston Castle School at Colinton
Merchiston Castle School developed Merchiston International School after a year of collaboration with Chinese investor Lyu Jianjun, whose son attended the boarding school in Edinburgh.[3][10] In 2016, Shenzhen Merchiston International Education Co. Ltd. was founded,[11] and in August 2018, Merchiston International School opened its doors to pupils as the first school in Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China.[12] On October 15, 2018, the school held its opening ceremony. The event attracted almost 1,000 attendees, including the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Frank Ross.[5][13]
The school offers student living arrangements along with a British education. The school can cater to 1,200 students aged 4–18.[14] Lessons are taught in English and pupils from grades 1 to 9 follow the English national curriculum, with additional access to Mandarin language learning. Senior students study for the IGCSE and A-levels. With accommodations for 600, the senior school is exclusively for boarding students. 80 percent of the teaching staff are from the United Kingdom.[12]
